Georgia Senate Passes Abortion Ban
March 28, 2012
This week, the Georgia state Senate passed a revised version of a bill that would ban abortion care after 20 weeks. This bill would have devastating effects on the lives and health of women in Georgia.
Originally, this bill did not contain exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or when an abortion is necessary due to fetal diagnoses. Although the Senate added a narrow exception for cases when a fetus is diagnosed with a condition “incompatible with life,” this bill is unconstitutional as it does not contain an adequate exception to protect women’s health and it bans legal abortion care protected under the Roe v. Wade decision.
Women need access to abortion care later in pregnancy for a variety of reasons, not just in cases of tragic fetal diagnoses. The state should not pass laws that disregard the importance of circumstances and complications women can face during pregnancy.
The Georgia Legislature adjourns for the year tomorrow, so the House and the Senate would need to agree on a version of the bill before moving forward. Currently, the members of both the House and the Senate have said they will only support their version of the bill.
Stay tuned…